From Heads Unworthy
by GetsugaCero
Summary: When a humble kingdom is raided and overthrown by cruel rulers, a young girl is saved by an old knight. When the cruelty of the rulers infects the kingdom's citizens and they destroy the Faunus inhabitance, a bloody revolution will begin.
1. Epilogue of The Fall

From Heads Unworthy

Author's Note

Okay, so this is a story that hit me when I was listening to a song of the same name (From Heads Unworthy) by Rise Against. Guess it's an AU of some sort.

Haha, never guessed a 3+ minute tune could turn into this... So here it is, From Heads Unworthy.

Chapter 1: Epilogue of The Fall

The body of the enemy slid off his blade, and dropped to the ground in a lifeless heap. The old knight turned to see exactly what had caused him to suddenly lunge. He was surprised to find a small girl, perhaps no more than five, lying amongst the rubble. "This is no place for one so young." the knight mumbled into the cacophony of war surrounding his master's castle.

The knight did what any noble warrior would have, he picked the girl up and carried her away from the destroyed room. Carrying the girl like a little bride, he strode as deftly as possible through the ruins of the castle. Dodging various skirmishes here and there, but all around didn't have to fight anyone to escape. The main invading force was in the castle, clearing his comrades away like so many insects.

In an effort to skirt any possible confrontations, the knight walked into the Emerald Forest, toward the ruins of the old temple. The creatures of Grimm were attracted to the war, the easily accessible food that was the bodies of his fallen brothers and enemies, and preferred their still-warm carcasses to the fight he offered them. Nevermore flew over him toward the castle, most likely looking to claim it for their roost.

The walk was long and tiring, especially after fighting through half an army worth of invaders, and carrying a girl from the destruction of the castle. Eventually the old man reached the temple, battle weary and shocked. Shocked at the tragedy that just befell the mighty Kingdom of Vale. Shocked at the destruction of his home-away-from-home. The destruction of his oldest friend's legacy.

He looked around the ruins for a suitable, easily defendable, location to rest his sore, aching body. His armor was all but ruined. Gashes where it failed to stop an enemy sword. Arrow's protruding from various places. He was thankful that he was one of the legendary few who successfully unlocked their aura. It protected him from what his armor couldn't.

He found a spot. A pillar rising from a seemingly bottomless chasm. Backed against a cliff and the only entrance being a lone, thin bridge, it was perfect. As he strode, his walk became a limp; his legs only able to continue from his will power and aura empowerment. When he arrived, he unclasped the rag that had once been his cape, allowing it to fall. Then, gently, he put the white haired girl down on the cleanest part of it, so as to not stain her spotless white dress, and wrapped her in it like a blanket.

Then he wearily began to strip his armor off, and toss it out of the pillar and into the endless depths of the chasm. At last he removed his helmet, and began to toss it, but something stopped him. He held it in front of him, turning it to face him. He gazed into the emblem of the royal family, and the reality of everything crushed him. He dropped the helmet, caught his head in his hands and quietly wept. It didn't take long for his exhaustion to sweep him into the dream cradling hands of Morpheus.(A/N)

Before dawn, the old knight rose with a start to find the girl had found her way to his side. Even more surprising, he found he had embraced her in his sleep. He released himself of her, and rose to his feet, his joints popping in protest.

He looked around to signs of the enemy and of Grimm and was happy of find none. He looked back at the little girl. In the pre-dawn light he saw that half her face was dark. He got closer and found that she had a long, shallow cut across her left eye. Luckily, it had coagulated last night, seemingly during the walk from the castle. He scanned his body, and found some spots where her blood had found gaps in his armor, random dark splotches down his right side.

The shadows of the night were fading fast, and with it the ease of travel they offered. Unwilling to wake and upset the girl, he gently picked her up, cape and all, and began walking across the bridge. Then a small group of soldiers wandered out of the ruins. By the red and black color of their armor, he knew they were not friendly. The caught sight of him quickly, and began to run toward him, crossing the bridge. When they met in the middle, both parties stopped. They all had full armor, and large red broad swords.

The knight sighed, seeing they had no intent to question him. He flared his aura, and before the enemy knights even saw him move, the knight was behind them, walking off the bridge. The bodies of the three warriors just began to fall apart, not even knowing what had happened.

"You've done better than I expected Roman." the woman in the blood-red battle dress commended.

"Thanks. I do try." Roman answered. The man in ivory white armor had led the attack on White Castle just hours ago. He was in charge of obliterating the feeble guards of the fortress.

"Your coronation as King will begin in a few short days, and you will become the most powerful man on Remnant." the woman said in her seductively silky voice.

"And you shall become my queen. The beauty to my beast."

"Oh? Is that so?" she asked, running her fingers up and down the chest-plate of Roman's armor seductively.

"Yes, it is Cinder." he answered, grabbing her wrist. He gently guided it up, and he kissed the back of her hand.

"Yes, I think so too." she cooed.

The knight had wandered through the trees of the Emerald Forest until about midday, three days after the siege, and finally caught a glimpse of his goal. A small village nestled sweetly at the boarder of Vale and Menagerie. The village of Deytere. His home.

The girl still had not awakened. Her still slumber was beginning to cause him concern. "I just need to make it over the next hill, and I can get you to my wife." he told the sleeping girl.

When the man reached the crest of the large hill above his village, he turned to see what remained of Vale's ruling seat, White Castle, burning far in the distance. Past the gentle green of Emerald Forest, and harsh against the calm red of Forever Fall, the white stone towers slowly burning itself black with he soot and ash of his fallen brothers and sisters. Its once proud walls stained red with the bloody gashes of its previous inhabitance. With a silent prayer for the fallen, and the future, he turned away from his fallen home and toward his humble life in Deytere.

He began his slow, deliberate decent into the humble Faunus village. Everyone was outside, gazing at the pluming smoke of the castle. No one had even noticed him crest the hill or begin his decent. It wasn't until he was nearly in front of the villagers that one of them noticed him.

The villager, a cat Faunus, looked at him in surprise. "Oz..." he whispered, his ears flitting about showing the surprise his voice sounded. The name made all the Faunus villagers look at the old warrior. And collectively they gasped. Followed by a sharp intake of air.

Before the crowd could say or do anything, Oz held up his hand, "Please, keep calm. Wouln't want to wake her." he said, showing the white haired girl in his arms. The whole crowd grew eerily quiet.

Oz began to walk into the crowd, and they parted for him. He walked directly for the small, humble house he and his wife called home, the crowd parted all the way there, with one woman standing at the door.

Oz looked up, and beheld his beautiful wife for the first time since the royal families daughter was born, roughly six years ago. Still, she hadn't aged a day. Her long blonde hair was up, with some left to spiral down from her temples. A lose white top, wrapped tightly around her belly with a black corset. She still wore that long black skirt he gave her all those years ago. "Glenda." he said with a smile.

She ran toward him franticly, like she feared he was a dream. When she got to him, he pulled her into a one-armed embrace, kissing with all the passion they'd saved over six years apart. When they finally separated, the crowd had dispursed, and Glenda looked down to see why he'd not held her with both arms. She was surprised to see a little girl held in the other arm.

"Oz, what..." the surprise was too much, she couldn't finish, her voice caught in her throat.

"I found her in the castle the night of the attack. I couldn't just leave her. The castle had been lost, so I spirited her away." he explained. "It's been almost half a week, and she hasn't moved. Her breathing is barely noticeable." he said, voicing his concern.

"Take her inside." she ushered him in their house.

"She had fainted before I saved her from an attacking knight." he explains. "I didn't notice the cut on her face until the morning after the attack."

"It's a good thing you had her pressed against your body, you helped stop the bleeding. Is it a sword wound?" she asked, filling a small pot with water, and boiling it over their small fire pit.

"The enemy was using a sword, so I would assume so."

Glenda stepped close to the girl and looked at the wound closely. What she saw caused her grimace. She quickly reached into the pot, soaking her sleave, and dripped it onto the girl's cut. The wound immediately began to react, releasing a dark blue pigment into the water. "Not good. The blade used was laced with Amnaesia."

"Am.. What?"

"Amnaesia is a poison. It's used by assassins mostly. It's a mixture of nightshade and amnesia dust. Usually it's deadly, if untreated. She's lucky the cut is shallow, and on her face. Any wound on the face will bleed profusely." She began to use her sleeve to clean the caked blood from her face. "Odds are good that her blood washed out most of the poison, or at least the flow kept it out of her body." Now she started to loose the coagulated blood from her snow white hair. "Since she's not dead, it's safe to assume that none of the nightshade got into her blood. But that leaves the amnesia dust. If she wakes up, she will be lucky to remember anything." Glenda said, still tending to the dried blood.

Oz could only sigh in response. He wanted to confirm if she were who he hoped she is. "When could we expect her to awaken?"

"I honestly don't know, Oz. She's lucky to have gotten the injury she did. There is no president for surviving Amnaesia, so there is no telling when she will return to us."

"I see." he said, rising from beside the girl. He strode to the bead, and flopped onto it.

"Oz. This could be a blessing in disguise." Glenda said gently from where she sat beside the girl.

"Yeah. I know." Oz smiled up to the ceiling.

"What should we call her?" Glenda asked.

"Weiss. After the daughter of the royal family." He answered.

"Weiss." Glenda tested the name on her lips. "It's a beautiful name."

"Look at them. Scurrying about like the animals they are." Roman spat as he watched his future subjects roam around the courtyard.

"They are just looking for direction, Roman. Don't let them spoil the day. Rejoice, it is your Coronation Day after all." Cinder tried to sooth him.

"Yes. No matter how revolting these creatures are, I will not allow them to ruin this day." Roman said with a sick smile. He was planning something. Something terrible.

It had been two days since the hostile take over of the Vale throne, and already the shockwave of news rippled throughout the kingdom. Everyone was summoned to the capitol city of Vale, Faunus and human alike, to attend the king's coronation.

They came slowly at first. But after a little... persuasion from the new knights of the realm, they arrived in droves. Eventually, the all the residence from the surrounding villages had arrived at the runed citadel of White Castle and gathered in and around the fortress.

When Roman stepped from within the royal chambers, onto the balcony over looking the courtyard, he was pleased to see that no more than a third of the people were Faunus. After an official swearing in witnessed by the grand majority of his new kingdom, Roman issued his first law, "Attention people of Vale," he waved at the crowd for silence. "I hereby, irrevocably and permanently, banish all Faunus from the Kingdom of Vale, henceforth and forever more. Any Faunus found within my Kingdom after the weeks end will be executed on sight." Roman smiled at his little personal victory as he walked back into the royal chambers. When the doors slammed shut, he heard the crowd explode with disapproving sounds and slanderous calls.

"Well that went better than expected, King Torchwick." Cinder said, sitting at the edge of the large bed that the center of the large room.

Roman humphed, "They should all be grateful for giving them three days." he walked to the bedpost closest to him, and leaned on it, looking at Cinder. "And I intend to keep my word. If any of my Sentries so much as glimpses one of those animals, they are to kill. Right there. In the street. No questions asked."

"Well, I do hope this purge of yours works out for you." she said as she laid back in the bed, pulling her legs up with her. Roman smiled at the obvious advance, and followed her into bed.

"Glenda, it's been days now." Weiss could hear voices, but she had not the strength to move even her eyelids. "What if..." the voice broke off.

"Oz, the poor girl is recovering from both emotional, and physical trauma. It is of no wonder that she hasn't woken up yet." a female voice - Glenda, Weiss thought - shushed the male voice, Oz.

"But she..." he stopped short when he noticed the breathing of his charge had become more noticeable, audibly stronger and panicky. Oz went to her side, and took her hand. Weiss squeezed it feebly. "There ,there, it's going to be fine. You're in a safe place. We are not going to hurt you." Oz tried to sooth the little girl. It was sort of working.

Glenda took the other hand, "Can you move at all?" Weiss tried to shake her head, but he neck barely twitched. Glenda took her hand, "Squeeze once for yes, twice for no. Can you move at all?" the girl gave a feather-light squeeze, then another a moment later. "Oz, she barely has strength. Get me a cup of broth." she directed him to the pot over the fire.

It was only a moment before he returned with the cup. "Now, this is warm, but it will make you stronger." Glenda said as she and Oz propped her up. Glenda put the cup to her lips, "Drink." she gently ordered.

Weiss opened her lips and allowed the warm fluid to flow down her throat. It soothed her dry throat and warmed her from within. When Glenda tried to pull the cup away, Weiss only uttered a sound of protest. Greedily, she drank the whole cup in minutes. "Can you open your eyes?" Oz asked.

When she tried Glenda noticed her eyelashes were holding together. She only gently chuckled, "Okay sweetie, that's enough. I'm going to wash your face real quick." Glenda dipped her hand in a pot of water she kept near the girl to keep her cool in the hot days of the summer. She then rubbed her sleave over Weiss' eyes, removing the dry blood, and rubbed the rest of her face clean. "Okay, try again."

Weiss opened her eyes, and Glenda gasped in surprise. Blue eyes are a rare sight to see in anyone anymore. Then she composed herself, "Hello, Weiss. My name is Glenda." she said touching her chest, "And this is my husband, Ozpin."

Weiss smiled weakly at them. "Weiss?" she asked.

"Yes, dear. That's your name." Glenda answered.

Weiss smiled again, a little stronger this time, "It's pretty." she said happily. Glenda and Ozpin smiled at each other. Then a large yawn erupted from Weiss.

"You should get your rest. We'll talk again when you wake up, okay sweetie?" Oz said. Weiss nodded as she laid down. Glenda got up and walked to her husband, smiling she exited the house. Ozpin followed. After all, he'd told the town that he would tell them about the little mystery in his arm after the first day.

When Ozpin stepped outside, he was confronted with the sight of one of the closest friends of his family, the Belladonna's. "Hello, Cole." he stepped up to shake the cat Faunus' hand. Then to his wife, "Ashleigh." he gently shook her hand. Then he noticed someone hiding behind the gentle woman. "And who is this one?" he playfully asked, kneeling down her her level.

"I'm Blake." she answered shyly.

"Hello Blake. This is my lovely wife, Glenda." he motioned. "And I'm Ozpin, but you can call me Oz. Everyone does." he introduced. Standing again, he looked at Cole, "I assume you're here for my guest?" he asked.

"We're just wondering if she's alright." Ashleigh said.

"She was struck with a weapon laced in Amnaesia." Glenda answered. Both Cole and Ashleigh's looks grew grim.

"So... When do we..." Cole began to ask.

"Oh, she survived. She just woke up a small while ago. We fed her to get her energy back up and she went back to bed just as we came outside." Oz said, cutting off his friend. "Yes, with much luck, Weiss will have completely recovered by the weeks end." he said happily. He looked to little Blake, "Then maybe you could show her around the village?" she asked. Blake excitedly nodded her head, happy that there was someone her age to play with.

"Weiss?" Cole asked, "Isn't that the name of the princess?"

"Yes. It is." Glenda said. She sounded almost defensive. Glenda walked back inside.

"I apologize Cole. Glenda sees her as a chance at the family I couldn't give her." Oz said, looking at Blake playing behind her mother sadly. "Besides, there's no evidence of her heritage." he meekly chuckled, looking back at his old friend.

Cole awkwardly chuckled with his friend, "Eh, well perhaps we could see your little girl tomorrow, hmm?"

"If Glenda says so, then you will be the first to meet her." Oz said, offering his hand.

"It's been too long for a simple shake. C'mere!" Cole roughly hugged Oz.

"Come now, honey, it's time for bed." the two could here Ashleigh call for both her daughter and husband.

They both called an obedient, "Coming!" and bid Ozpin a good evening.

"Blake, dear. Do you want to see if Weiss can come play?" Ashleigh asked her gently as she began to hang clothes on the clothes line.

"Yes mommy." Blake ran off excitedly, skipping her way to the Ozpin home. She didn't take long to get there. Being as small as she is, Blake could run through narrow gaps, and under low hang-overs that force grown-ups to go around. Blake came to a slow stop, panting happily as she walked up to Oz's door. She took a moment to compose herself before lifting her hand to give a little knock.

"Come in." she heard Glenda say before her hand reached the hard-wood door. Blake stepped in quietly. "You don't have to be so cautious Blake. Weiss has been awake for a while; Oz wanted to show her around the village before everyone flocked the streets."

"O-oh. Okay. Can I stay 'til she gets back?" Blake asked.

"Of course, dear." Glenda said. "Come, sit at the table. We're going to have breakfast when they return. Shouldn't be long now." she beaconed to the extra chair at the table.

"Thanks!" Blake said, rushing to the table, taking her seat. Blake had hardly had anything to eat. She had gotten up late, and had to help her mother with chores this morning. Before long the girls heard the voices of Ozpin and a little girl.

"Now, Weiss, it's okay to be curious, but you can't just walk into someone else's house." Ozpin laughed.

"Okay Oz." Weiss said, a little ashamed. "So when we gonna meet your friend?" she bounced back fast, excited to meet someone new.

"If I know the Belladonna's, Cole is already out hunting, Ashleigh is doing chores and sent Blake to see how you're doing." Oz answered. It looked like he was guessing, but really he was just really observant. He saw the small foot prints in the soft soil of the village leading to his house, and the small tell-tale signs of someone running through market; boxes being picked up, chicken's still a little panicked, and of course people looking toward his house. Oz gently smiled as he remembered when he, Cole, Ashleigh, and their friends would run through the streets of Vale, how people would yell at their mischief.

Blake had gotten impatient. She had gone to the door, and peered outside. They were still a ways off, just lazily walking along. Glenda sensed her energy soaring, "Go on Blake. Breakfast will be served when you all get back." she laughed. Blake looked back at the blonde woman, and gave her best 'thank-you' smile, then ran out the door.

"Wow, you can tell all that by just thinking about it?" Weiss said, amazed at Ozpin's skill.

"Weiss, you should open your eyes to the small things in life. Look, there are signs everywhere, all pointing to what I just said." he pointed toward the village. "There are boxes being picked up that have no reason being on the ground. The usually calm poultry are in a panick. The barely-visible, but still noticeable, foot prints in the dirt. All pointing to one thing." Ozpin listed off. They stopped, just looking at the hidden chaos. Ozpin leaning on his cane.

"What's that?" Weiss asked, looking at all the clues he'd just listed. He was right. Something happened.

"We have a guest." he said as he saw Blake running to meet them. Weiss looked up at Ozpin and followed his eyes. She saw Blake running to them and grew excited. Someone new to talk to!

"Uncle Oz!" Blake shouted, waving at Ozpin and Weiss. "Uncle Oz!" she called again. She came a skidding stop just in front of them, "Hey." she said simply.

"Hello, Blake." Oz smiled. "Still learning how to run, hmm?" he asked.

"Learning? I think I have it down." Blake said confidently.

"The chickens beg to differ." Oz said pointing to the foul with his cane. Blake looked and nervously chuckled, turning back to Oz blushing and rubbing her neck.

"Yeah. Can Weiss play today?" Blake asked.

"It's fine with me, Blake. But we'll see what Glenda sais after breakfast." Oz answered, looking into he hopeful eyes of the angels looking up at him. The two girls squee'd in delight, pulling and tugging Ozpin closer to their coming freedom. "Okay, okay." Oz laughed, walking as fast as he could to keep up with the energetic girls.

"Come on, Weiss! Let's GOO!" Blake took off like a rocket after Glenda gave the okay. Weiss, still a little weak, barely jogged after her friend, laughing the whole way. Ozpin watched them leave with a gentle smile on his face, and a fatherly gleam in his eye.

"Oz, thank you." Glenda said as she stepped next to him, embracing her husband lovingly. She gently rested her head on his chest.

Oz chuckled as a tear ran down his cheek, "For you, anything." he returned her embrace. They stood in their doorway hugging long after the two brightest stars of Deytere skipped out of sight.

Author's Notes

Okay, so I read somewhere Morpheus is a god of sleep and dreams, so that's where that come from.

So, if you guys hadn't heard the song From Heads Unworthy (by Rise Against) I suggest you guys give it a try. After all it inspired this little diddy.

Oh, and the name Deytere is derived from an area in the game Kingdoms of Amalure: The Reckoning. Just in case someone caught that and calls me out.

Yes, I realise that an Epilogue is usually at the end of a book, but just wait until I bring this full circle. Trust me, it's gonna be good (if what my friend's tell me is anything to go by...). To quote a friend, "Wow, dem feels bro."

And I realise I give like NO definitive motions, gestures, or what not. This is to encourage the reader to use your imagination for such things. I find it more entertaining when i read other stories like that.

Til next time, please Review the shit out of this story (my other stories too for that matter). PM me for any direct questions. Guest's please try to leave a unique name, so I can give you a shout-out if I find it necessary.

GetsugaCero, out.


	2. News

Author's Note

Well this took longer to get to than I hoped it would, but meh. So here's the next chapter in From Head's Unworthy:

Oh, by the way, three year time skip.

* * *

Chapter 2: News

"I can't believe it's already been three years, Oz." Glynda observed as she watched her adoptive daughter, Weiss, play with her friend Blake. She and Ozpin were sitting on the porch of their humble home, sipping their favorite tea. The sounds of children playing serving as ambiance to their date.

"I know. She has grown so fast. It fells like just yesterday I brought her home." Ozpin looked from his wife's beautiful jade eyes to gaze into his half empty cup, his eyes flashing with the horror of the night he saved Weiss from the castle. He released a sad sigh.

"Ozzy?" he heard Glynda's voice break the chain of pain and anguish he'd trapped himself in.

He mumbled back an acknowledging, "Hmm?" Returning his gaze to his wife.

"Are you okay?" she asked, gently putting her left hand on his right, knowing full well that you never roughly touch a veteran after a flashback.

"Yes, just recalling the day." he sadly smiled at her. He turned his hand in his wife's to gently grasp her wrist. She gently returned the action. It had long since been their thing, to grab the others wrist like that. It signified their togetherness, the unbreakable strength with which they hold each other.

"You know what?" she asked teasingly, "I heard there's a fair about to arrive in a nearby town. Plenty of distractions for the girls and yourself." she stated, trying to lighten Oz's mood.

"Truly?" he was shocked that he hadn't heard of this. Usually Cole would advertise something like that, ever the family man he. "Then perhaps I should take Weiss. She would enjoy some frivolity with children other than Deytere's own." He began to stand, but lost his ballance and fell from the porch, landing face first in the dirt.

"Oz! Are you okay?" Glynda asked, fearful of her husband getting hurt.

Ozpin laughed as he rolled onto his back, "Yes, my love. I am alright." he continued to laugh. The contagious sound infecting even Glynda, who also began to laugh. The sound of Oz falling and both of them laughing drew the attention of the black and white girls.

"Oz." Weiss jogged over to her fallen parent, chuckling, "What happened?"

"Your mother told me of an event coming soon, and I got a little over excited. Afraid I rose from my seat a little too fast." he continued to chuckle.

"What got you so excited." Blake asked, offering the older man her hand.

Ozpin took her hand, and held his other for Weiss to grab, "There is a fair coming close to our humble village, in the town Gossamer, just over the boarder to Menagerie." he explained while getting up.

"A fair?" Weiss asked.

"Yes, a collection of merchants using entertainment to draw patrons. There are plenty of events to watch and games to play." Ozpin explained to his still learning daughter.

"Oh, my daddy told me about fairs. He said he met you at one a long time ago." Blake interjected.

"Well, not too long ago." he chuckled, "And almost accurate." Blake's confusion was evident in her eyes. "Your father and I met at a fair, yes. However, we met as a sparing pair. Someone had bet that thin blades wouldn't hold a match to broad or great swords." he began to walk up the stairs, the girls following, excited to hear a story from Ozzy. As he reclaimed his seat, the girls sat on Glynda's lap, leaning on the table between them. "Your father, Cole, was the better's champion. He was undefeated for a dozen matches. Then I took the bet, simply because it sounded like fun. I had my estoc, and he had this large claymore like sword."

Weiss and Blake were completely enthralled by the story, their head's propped on their palms, completely focused on Ozpin as he spoke. Weiss completely oblivious to Glynda putting her hair into a pony tail.

Ozpin continued, "He and I began a duel like any other, a handshake and a respectful nod. After returning to our respective start positions, Cole hefted his blade in both hands, getting a sure grip, while I took a basic fencing pose with my thin blade. He rushed me, I watched his feet and shoulders, reading his movements." Blake had taken on a very boy-ish appearance, so enthralled by the story she was drooling. Weiss was still oblivious to Glynda playing with her hair.

"He couldn't land an attack on me, as I was faster with a lighter weapon. Every missed slash earned him a bruise from the dull edge of my weapon. Every miss timed dodge earned me a bruise from him as well. After a few minutes of reading his movements and studying his 'technique', he was unable to touch me. He tried a spinning slash, but that earned him the tip of my needle pushing at his throat. He dropped his sword in defeat, and I offered my hand in thanks."

"Thanks?" Weiss wondered out loud.

"Yes. You see, neither of us had the stamina to continue, and I was bullheaded enough to push it. He conceded so we could both walk away from the arena." Ozpin explained.

"Yeah, and because your little weapon stung something fierce!" Cole's voice rang through both girl's stupor. Blake caught herself drooling, and cleaned herself off before her dad or Weiss caught her. "I remember that duel. You could read me like a book, my friend." Cole's boisterous laughter filled the clearing in front of Ozpin's home.

"Indeed." Ozpin agreed with his loud friend. He got up to greet his oldest friend properly. "Cole my friend, have you heard of the fair coming to Gossamer?" Oz asked as he hugged his friend.

"Only just. I was just coming to inform you, and to make a request." Cole responded as he clapped Oz on the back.

"A request? For you friend anything." Ozpin said, breaking the embrace. "Name it, and if I can, it will be done."

"That's what I like to hear." Cole said putting his arm around Oz's neck, gently leading him away from his wife and the girls. Blake and Weiss began to follow, but Oz gently waved them away. "Ozzy, you and I have been friends for going on twenty years now."

"Yes. Certainly a long time." Ozpin interrupted.

"Indeed. This is why I need to tell you this, my wife has fallen ill. The good doctor says he doesn't know what it is. He's never seen this before. I don't under stand, Ozzy. She was perfectly fine this morning. She was..." Cole had long since dropped his happy demeanor, and now hung his head low, speaking barely above a whisper. "I may loose my Ashleigh." his voice broke, as his breath became ragged.

"Cole..." Ozpin stepped in front of his friend, putting both hand on his shoulders. "Cole, what can I do to help you?" Cole's slate gray eyes met Ozpin's brown.

"Could you take Blake to the fair in Gossamer? Please? I-I need some time with my wife." Cole's voice was pleading.

"Shouldn't Blake be present for her mother's..." Ozpin couldn't finish the thought. Ashleigh dead? She's around the same age as his Glynda...

"I couldn't let her see her mother like this." Cole began to shed tears. The sound of his shuddering breath was all that filled the area. Ozpin didn't know what to do. He'd known Ashleigh nearly as long as he knew Cole. Losing her was like losing a sister. Ozpin's eyes began to fill.

'_To have deteriorated her so fast... This sickness...'_ "Cole, do you know if the illness is contagious?" Ozpin's logical mind thinking of ways to prevent his friend from following his wife.

"I... I don't know. I don't care, I need to be with her." Cole started to turn from his friend.

"Cole..." Ozpin said, firmly. "You must think of your daughter as well." he said.

"I know. This is why I want you to take her to Gossamer. If it is contagious, she won't die too." The logic struck Ozpin. He's protecting his daughter and comforting his wife. "Please, take care of my daughter. She's all you'll have of Ashleigh and I if this is contagious."

Ozpin sighed warily, "Very well. Your daughter will be safe with me."

Tears began to fall from Ozpin's eyes as he watched his friend walk away, "Thank you, my old friend." Cole already seemed so old, so frail. "I will give Ashleigh your and Glynda's regards."

"I will return with the girls by the end of the week. Be safe Cole." Ozpin turned to head back home. Thoughts and memories of his time with Cole and Ashleigh, friends so close he regarded them as family, and the possible future without his brother and sister. He stopped at the edge of the forest Cole had led him into, leaned against the tree on his right and watched his family. His wife, Glynda, the love of his life. And his daughter, Weiss, the only other woman he shall love beside his beloved wife. Then there's his possible daughter-to-be, Blake, whom he loved as dearly as her parents. He leaned on the tree, and silently wept his frustrations and sadness into the noon air.

Blake and Weiss had begun a game of hide-and-seek with the other village children while Ozpin was away talking to Blake's dad. Blake was it, and she had to find the others. Weiss was one of the few smart ones who never stayed in one place. As she darted from hide-hole to hide-hole she began to skirt the village. Eventually stumbling upon Ozpin, she wanted to be playful and scare him.

She was hiding behind a tree when she heard a twig snap. Alert to Ozpin's past, she decided to check if he were still where he was. When she peeked from behind the tree, Ozpin was nowhere to be seen. She immediately hid behind the tree, quickly thinking of a way to find the ninja of a man. "Hmm, it seems I've gotten quite complacent over the past couple years." Ozpin said from behind her tree.

Startled, Weiss fell away from the tree. "Daddy!" she laughed as she turned to see him leaning on the tree, smiling at her. She didn't notice the redness of his eyes, or the tightness of his voice.

"You did well to come so close." he walked to her, offering her his hand. She grabbed his wrist, and he grabbed hers as he pulled from the ground. "Has Blake been teaching you how to sneak around?" he chuckled.

"Yep! That's not all. She's teaching my how to run like she does, too." she beamed proudly.

"Weiss, it'll have been three years soon since I brought you home." Ozpin began, putting a hand on his chin, rubbing his left cheek like he were thinking hard, "You'll be eight years old, and it's time I gave you a birthday present." He said, looking at her with a sly look about his face. Weiss began to grow a large childish smile. "How about I take you and Blake to the fair in Gossamer?" Weiss' excitement overflowed and she began to jump and cheer. "If we leave today we should arrive just before it opens." he smiled at her, patting her head.

"Come, let's gather Blake and some supplies for the road. I'll have to get some spending Lien from your mother too." he said, as he put his hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her with.

"Race ya!" she darted off toward home. It hadn't been long since she first started learning from Blake, but the progress she showed was amazing. She moved fluidly around low hanging branches, darted over high roots and stumps like a bird. Ozpin chuckled to himself as he took off after her, enjoying himself as he played with his daughter.

* * *

Author's Note

Okay, so that's that. A tad darker than originally intended, but hey, PLOT.

So, it took some rationalization but I decided to give good bite-size chapters, rather than bland full-meal chapters. Figured I could update faster, and keep people interested. Til next time, GetsugaCero out.


	3. Gossamer

**Author's Note**

Okay, sorry I haven't updated in a while. My work schedule's been wonky lately.

I'd like to thank Tear of Light for reviewing. To get feed back from one of my favorite authors is amazing, thank you soo much.

Also febnic16, thank you. It's good to know my work is liked by people! :D

* * *

Night had fallen over them as they neared the town of Gossamer. The small shacks of Deytere were dwarfed by the grand multi-story buildings of the much larger town. Much like Deytere, Faunus walked the streets proudly displaying their heritage. The major difference however was how they looked at Weiss and Ozpin. It was like they had committed a crime just by being in the town.

"Daddy, why are they looking at us like that?" Weiss asked, gripping his hand tighter.

"I would imagine humans have treated most of them with similar disdain." Ozpin told her, looking down at her. He turned his head to look at Blake, whom held is other hand, and saw she too was uncomfortable.

"But aren't they humans too?" Weiss asked innocently. Any Faunus around that heard her had mixed reactions; ranging from endeared to angry.

"Technically yes, but they have gifts that we don't." Ozpin chuckled. He was watching the Faunus around react to their quiet conversation.

"Like Blake's kitty ears?" Weiss asked, smiling. Blake looked at Weiss and grinned at her.

"That's one, yes." Ozpin gently laughed. "However most, in not all, Faunus have much keener eyesight in the dark." He continued to explain the differences and similarities to Weiss as the trio seemed to wander Gossamer. Faunus around them seemed to eavesdrop on their conversation, enjoying the fact that the new generation will be more accepting than the previous. Ozpin seemed to also pick up his pace while they walked, getting faster and faster, taking more and more turns. Soon he had brought the girls to a light jog behind him, then more sudden than when he began to speed up, he stopped.

He turned to face a building, "This is where we will be staying while we're in Gossamer. Remember it well." He said. The building was wide with three floors. Each floor above ground had a balcony, the railing was made to look like vines with various flowers on it, the largest being the many roses atop each vertical rail. All the windows had a stylized flower as well, the largest being a large circular rose window above the entry.

"It'd be hard to forget something so beautiful." Weiss said, Blake nodding in agreement. The two girls gawking at the wondrous building before them, didn't notice the woman with a white cloak exit the front door.

"Thank you, girls. My family and I take great care of our home." She said. The wind suddenly picked up, and blew her cloak gracefully around her as she descended the stairs from the patio to street level.

"Summer, it's great to see you!" Ozpin called as he walked up to and hugged the new woman. They embraced like old friends that hadn't seen each other in so long. After a moment, they separated, Summer looking expectantly at Weiss and Blake. Ozpin noticed, "Ah, where are my manners? Summer this is my daughter, Weiss," he walked behind the girls, placing his left hand on Weiss's right shoulder. "And this is her dear friend, Blake." he placed his right hand on her left shoulder. He chuckled, "My family has grown since last we spoke."

"Indeed." Smiled as she walked up to the girls, kneeling to their eye level, "It's a pleasure to meet such beautiful young ladies." she said, "My name is Summer Rose." she extended her hand to Weiss.

"A pleasure, Mrs. Rose." Weiss said as she took her hand. Blake simply smiled and nodded as she took Summer's hand in turn.

"Now, I haven't the foggiest where my girls went, but they should be home eventually." she said as she departed. "Front doors open if you want to show yourselves to your rooms." she called over her shoulder as she went on her way.

* * *

"Now girls, before I set you to the crowd, some ground rules are in order." Ozpin said as he walked before the girls, putting his hands on their shoulders, and stooped down to look them in the eye. "First, don't spend all your Lien in one place. Second, don't get separated. Third, Don't trust people, regardless of their race. Fourth, be home before the sun drops behind the buildings. Fifth, have fun!" he said as he released them unto the streets.

"First thing's first, lets get a feel for the city!" Blake said as she and Weiss ran down the stairs, and bolted right, the same path Summer took on her departure. Blake lead the way, brushing past people, ducking under people carrying last minute supplies, rolling under carts. They carried on like that for more hours than they care to remember. The two had even found a place to sit. On the roof of a building. They had explored the entire city of Gossamer. They know shortcuts to and from anywhere to anywhere. They discovered where the tournaments will take place, where the food stalls are, and most importantly, where the candy shoppes are.

"Blake, I'm getting a hungry. And thirsty. Lets go find something to eat." Weiss complained, her hand on her tummy. Her throat was dry, and her tummy was grumbling.

Blake laughed at her friend, "Okay Weiss, lets go." Blake got up and helped her friend up. As her friend stood, Blake looked out over the city, enjoying the breeze that had once again picked up. Something caught her eye, so she looked down. A large cart, full of hay, had pulled to a stop just below the building. Growing a devious grin, she looked at Weiss.

"Blake..." Weiss looked into the yellow eyes of her friend, knowing the look. Blake was going to do something incredibly stupid. Her friend walked backward a few paces, to get a good start, then began running strait to the edge of the roof. "Blake, no!" Weiss screamed as her friend jumped off the building. Blake heard the whistle of something in the distance, it sounded like a bird call; then she hit the hay. Weiss looked off the edge, and saw a large cloud of hay falling back into the hay pile, and Blake climbing out with a huge grin on her face.

"C'mon!" she called up to her friend. Weiss looked frightfully down to her friend, shaking her head. "Come on!" Blake repeated, almost pleading. Weiss again shook her head. "Fine, find a faster way down, chicken!" she teased. Weiss adopted an indignant look, and disappeared back behind the edge of the building. Blake began to walk to the back of their perch, to wait for her friend, but as she took a final look up, she saw Weiss flying off the roof.

Weiss was wailing with laughter as she climbed out of the hay, "That was so much fun!" she called to the sky above them, her arms held up in triumph.

"C'mon, let's go get something to eat." Blake chuckled at her friend. She led her friend to the nearest food stall, ordering what they desired. Blake had a fresh tuna sandwich, and plenty of sugar water. Weiss bought some fruit and some sugar water.

They calmly walked through the crowd as they enjoyed their 'meal.' The sights of the city were really something. They found this shop that had extremely interesting weapons that could change form. The same shop had these strange crystals. They were going to walk in, but the owner told them to leave.

Weiss and Blake continued to wonder Gossamer. Eventually they re-discovered the center of the town, the place where all the merchants' stalls were located. Everything from weapons to combat Grimm, to those strange crystals, Dust they heard it called, to power pretty much anything, to toys for any age. The town center was truly a place of wonder during the fair.

Though wonderful and sensational, the area wasn't the cleanest of places. Piles of various animal dung and litter cluttered the ground, paper and fliers blowing in the breeze, along with the occasional loose poster. Cautiously,not wanting to touch anything that may be stuck to it, Weiss picked up a poster that had blown into her leg. _'Welcome one and all, to the single greatest tournament this side of Vale!_', the flier announced. Drawings of different types of competitions were displayed on the flier. Weiss' eyes were drawn to graceful looking competition they called Fencing, while Blake was drawn to a more brutal competition simply called Glatoria. "This looks fun, lets go show daddy!" Weiss said excitedly.

"Yeah, c'mon! Race ya!" Blake agreed, racing off toward the Rose Manor. The raven haired girl had the lead most of the way, but had missed a shortcut through an alley. Weiss took the alley, and emerged from the other side just as Blake emerged around a corner. Her yellow eyes showed shock. Weiss will now not only beat her home, but had also, momentarally, broken one of Ozpin's rules. Blake smiled, her normally rule-following friend had loosened up.

Weiss laughed as she came to a stop at the door of the Rose Manor, "Ha, I finally won!" she exclaimed gleefully through gasps for air.

"Great job. I never expected you to take that shortcut, Weiss. Way to change it up." Blake said after catching her breath. Still smiling, she pat her white haired friend on the back.

"Heh, I had a good teacher." Weiss smiled at Blake. They stood in companionable silence, hands on their knees, catching their breath. After a moment, the front door jolted open, and they saw two blurs flash past them, one yellow and the other red and black.

"Girls! H-hey!" The woman from earlier that day, Summer, had walked out of the still-open front door, sighing. "Stay safe." she mumbled as she turned to see her guests. "Oh, h-hello girls. How has your day been?" Her smile was more beautiful than either of their mothers.

"It's been fun! Look what we found!" Weiss wildly showed Summer the poster she had picked up. Summer gently took it from Weiss, and laughed gently.

"It seems you found where you want to spend your time." she observed. "Fencing and Glatoria... Hmm, swordsmanship at both its most brutal, and most elegant. You girls have wonderful taste." she smiled, rolling the poster up, and handing it back to Weiss.

"Thanks." Weiss and Blake beamed. "Oh, who were those people you were calling after?" Blake asked.

"My daughters." she sighed, "They just love to run around the city, finding new ways to cause a ruckus." Summer crossed her arms under her modest bust, "They may try to seem like troublemakers, but they are both really sweet girls. My Ruby and Yang..." she gazed into the sky, the look of a concerned mother took over her face.

"I hope we can meet them soon." Weiss said, "They seem like fun!" she said, looking in the direction they bolted, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. Blake was also peering that way, squinting, trying to make out some flash of red or yellow.

"They're just a giggle a minute." Summer chuckled, smiling at Weiss.

"Oh, have you seen Daddy? We want to show him this too." Weiss asked.

"Oz should be in the library, just opposite the main room." Summer answered, stepping out of their way. They girls ran in, calling thank you over their shoulders. Summer's smile faded when they turned the corner, thinking of what Ozpin told her of Blake's parents. Summer is a well known herbologist and alchemist, Oz thought it would be best to stay with her in hopes of finding some kind of remedy for the Belladonna's sudden illness. "I'm sorry, Blake." Summer felt pure sorrow for the little girl.

* * *

"Daddy, daddy! Look what we found!" Weiss ran into the library, holding the poster as tight as being gentle would allow, calling for Ozpin.

Oz looked up from the book he was reading, and saw how disheavled the girls look. Hay poking out from their hair and clothes, a good layer of dirt on their shoes. "What'd you find Weiss?" he chuckled. His daughter thrust the poster into his hands. Gently Ozpin unrolled the paper, reading the headlines for this years fair. "So you girls want to go watch the swordplay, hmm?"

"More than anything!" Weiss and Blake said in unison, huddling closer to Ozpin, trying to look as cute as possible.

Ozpin smiled at their show, "Mmm..." he hummed, rolling his eyes as if thinking for a moment. He looked back to the girls, who had sparkles around their eyes. "Well, okay." he said, as if sighing. "We'll go on opening day. Which seems to be tomorrow. Go get ready for dinner, and we'll talk more about it then." Both Weiss and Blake bolt out of the library, up the stairs and into their room. Ozpin could hear the excited chatter and every step the two took. Ozpin smiled, shaking his head before returning to his book. He's looking for something to save his oldest friends. "Please, stay alive until I get back..." he quietly prayed to any deity willing to listen.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Okay, so that was that. So get this, the past two chapters were'nt even in my original plans for this fic, haha. Tell me how did I do? I'm not all that great when it comes to interaction, but I personally think I'm getting better.

Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this story so far, because after this it will definately take off. My plan for this story is like 11 front-and-back notebook pages, and I'm still working with stuff from page 1! Haha, this will be good I promise!


	4. The Toll of Thunder

Chapter 4: The Toll of Thunder

Okay so it's been a while... Let's see if I can still do this. Here's the latest chapter of From Heads Unworthy.

* * *

"This is something that I've never seen before. Something that can't be allowed to spread." The doctor of Deytere had visited the Belladonna family many times over the past few days. "Ashleigh and Cole Belladonna have contracted an illness unlike any I've encountered." The doctor removed the dark full length coat he usually wears, placing his bag of various tools on the desk of the Elders. "Nothing I have administered has had any effect. The only remaining course of action is to quarantine anyone who's had contact with either Cole or Ashleigh until we're sure this thing has passed." he said, sitting down with a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. "Including myself."

"Is that truly the only thing that you can suggest? To allow them to suffer, and hope they can weather this storm?!" The oldest Elder, an old wolf faunus, asked with all the force his lungs could muster.

"The Belladonna's have done more for this village than any other family can claim. They deserve better than to be abandoned when they need our help the most." the eldest woman in the village, a soft spoken rabbit faunus said. She had helped raise both Cole and Ashleigh, they were like her children.

"Believe me when I say, th-this is beyond the last thing I would suggest. Truth be told, Cole told me to suggest it. As a doctor, it is only logical to agree with the boy." The doctor weaved his fingers together and hid his mouth behind them, as if he were trying to hide from this undeniable truth.

"If it is his wish to isolate himself for what he believes to be our safety, then so be it. We should honor the wish of one of this village's greatest men." The wolf faunus again spoke.

"I will begin preparations for this imme-" Thunder clapped, interrupting the doctor, followed immediately by a symphony of rain falling on the roofs and windows of the village. "Immediately after this storm breaks."

"Even the sky mourns for them." the woman observed, looking out the large pane window toward the edge of Deytere, toward the house of the Belladonna family.

* * *

Coughing and wheezing were masked by the roll of thunder in the shack the Belladonna family called home. "Ashleigh," Cole wheezed his wives name. He brushed the sweat-sticky bangs from her face, putting his palm gently to her forehead. She had long since fallen asleep, only shortly after she said her goodbye to her dear Blake, days before.

"To think, we survived so much. The War of Inspirations, the War of Unification, and countless battles with creatures of Grimm..." Cole was beginning to lose fortitude. His voice was strained and wavering, from crying and trying hard not to continue. "We raised a beautiful little girl... Survived all the trouble and happiness Blake gave us... So much to be proud of and something like this gets us..." Cole's lip began to tremble as the thunder again rolled through his body. Every clap of thunder ringing in his ears like the toll of a church bell.

Ashleigh had been breathing so shallow and ragged since before Cole had awoke that morning. He had been placing cool rags on her forehead all day, but he had run out of freeze dust a few hours ago. So he had to settle for plain wet rags. Neither had made any discernible difference in Ashleigh's condition. "Please wake up." Cole had begun to plead his wife, in vain of course.

When the rain began to fall, and drip through the roof, everything only got worse. It was wet everywhere. Cole was left to miserably watch his wife's condition deteriorate. All the dry blankets he had spared for her, hoping her fever would break. Cole sat at the edge of their bed, watching her breath. As long as she was breathing he could hold onto hope. As long as she was alive, he could...

Cole was awakened by something... Or rather, the lack of something. He opened his eyes and sharpened his hearing, searching for what was missing. He lifted his head slowly, and saw his wife's eyes meeting his. She smiled at him, "Good morning, darling." she reached for him, stroking his cheek softly. Weakly.

Cole couldn't contain the happiness that swelled in him, he grabbed her hand and nuzzled it. He kissed her wrist more than a few times, unable to contain his happiness, "Ashleigh..." He said, as his kisses traveled up her arm. Then he stopped, and looked into her eyes. "You're awake. How do you feel?"

"I've felt much worse." she smiled, "And I've felt much, much better, but I'm alive." Ashleigh wrapped Cole in as strong a hug as she could muster. Gently, Cole returned the embrace, fretful that she'd break if he touched her too strongly.

He wanted to look at her again, so he gently pushed her out at arms length, holding her shoulders. He saw how weak she looked, how whatever she had affected her, how strained her smile was... Her eyes looked different. Cole's lip began to quiver, he wanted to cry. To cry for relief. To cry for fear. Just to cry for the sake of crying.

"Cole?" Ashleigh saw the maelstrom of emotion in her husband's eyes. She didn't know what was wrong. She looked at the mirror they had on the wall near the sink in the corner of the small home. She saw what had stirred the storm of emotion. Her eyes were wrong. Her body looked terrible. Her whole visage was off. "Oh no..." she muttered to herself.

"Ashleigh," Cole gently turned her head toward himself. Tears welled up in his eyes, he looked uncertain, scared, "when?" he asked.

"I-I don't remember," she thought hard. "I've never even seen one since we left the brotherhood and moved here." she couldn't understand. She grasped her head, her eyes screwed shut.

"It's already been a few days. Maybe it's not-"

"No. There's nothing else it could be." Ashleigh interrupted Cole. "Please, I can't. I won't change. I don't want that to be how you remember me."

Cole blinked, his lip again quivering, the welled tears falling, "Ashleigh," He remembered everything. Everything they survived. Everything they've done together, god and bad. He remembered Ashleigh holding Blake for the first time, how beautiful his wive looked as she looked lovingly at their daughter. He remembered how her smile would grow as she watched Blake play. He remembered how proud they were when Blake accepted Weiss.

Then Cole also remembered all the allies they lost to the darkness that his claiming his wife right now. How they'd become darkness itself. How they turned on their oldest friends and family. How they changed into monsters and destroyed everything they loved. Cole knew exactly what has to happen. Through a sorrow soaked voice, he began to speak, "The storm has forced everyone inside. I know where we can get it over with. Wait here a moment, I need to prepare for it." he rose to his feet, kissing his wife's hand before the left the little home.

Cole's tears were swept into the rain that fell. Every step he took brought more memories to life. When he got to his destination, he walked up the stairs, and knocked on the door. Glynda answered the door, "Cole? Wha-There's a quarantine in effect, you can't-"

"Don't worry, it's not contagious like this. Glynda, I need you to promise me something." he said, not a demand, but a plea. Cole was begging her for a favor.

"Cole, what's wrong?" She grew scared. Scared of how he was talking. Scared of how he looked. So very scared.

"Please, Glynda. I need you and Ozzy to take care of Blake." It became obvious that the water running down his face wasn't only rain.

"Cole, what's happening?" Glynda asked, her breath short. She knew, deep down, this might very well be the last time she sees her old friend. "Just, please... Tell me, what's happening?" Her voice broke.

"Glynda..." Cole turned around, his head angled up to the drowning sky, looking for a way out of this answer. His hands raked through is hair, turning back to Glynda, "Ashleigh, uh... She has it." he said simply. "The darkness, ah... Some how, she caught it." He stumbled through his words. "Glynda, my wife is turning. Now. She's in the last stage. I need to do this tonight. I can't live with out her. Not with Blake. Not knowing what... I can't. So please..." His face contorted in silent agony, his heart slowly dying, "Please, take care of my daughter. Take care of our heart."

Glynda began to cry, coming in short sobs, "I promise. Cole I promise to care or her like my own. I promise."

"Thank you. Please, don't ever forget we love you guys." Cole said as he walked away, disappearing back into the pouring rain. Lighting crashed and for an instant, she could see him again, the strength with which he walked through the rain was all it took.

"We love you too." Glynda whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself. She closed the door, sunk into the chair by the fire place and broke down.

* * *

Ashleigh sat on a chair at the dinning table, looking at the family photo album, dying more and more with every turn of a page. "Oh, Blake..."

Cole walked back into the house, "Ashleigh, it's time." he walked over to the fireplace, reaching up into the chimney. He pulled out a short blade with engravings on the flat of the blade. As he stepped closer to his wife, the engravings began to glow with a dull light, reflecting the shadows that streaked across Ashleigh's aura.

"Okay." she said, numbly. She rose from the chair, stepping behind it, and pushing it back into place. She spared one last look at the picture of Blake and Weiss smiling deeply at the camera, before closing the book.

Cole threw a lit torch into the mostly dry bed before they left, letting nature take it's course and spreading the fire. They walked swiftly to the edge of the forest, when Ashleigh turned around to watch their past burn away. Nobody came to help stop it. Perhaps because of the quarantine. Still the view mad her heart ache. Ashleigh held her hands over her heart, and shed the last of her tears.

Cole put a hand on her shoulder. When Ashleigh looked over her shoulder, they nodded at each other and ran into the forest. The pouring rain never bothered them as they ran through brush and low branches, passing through a corner of Forever Fall, and continued through the Emerald Forest until they arrived at a cave. The cave had some carving's just outside indicating the presence of one or more Deathstalkers.

Ashleigh was noticeably more winded than she should be, even for the distance they ran. Her aura is already nearly gone. "Cole, how much further?" she asked through raged breath. The darkness was decently well lit for their faunus eyes, and in the darkness, they saw a fork in the path.

"Huh," Cole grunted, "When you need to find the correct way always choose right..." he said, heading down the right path.

"Cole, honestly." Ashleigh face-palmed.

"I heard the scuttling and scraping of a Deathstalker down the other path. But you know me..." he said over his shoulder. "Either way, that's not the way I plan to die."

"Where are you taking us?" Ashleigh asked. Her grip on Cole's hand grew weaker by the minute.

"It's only a little further. I want to be sure Grimm don't find us. We don't want that at all."

"No. We don't." she shuddered at the thought.

The couple continued on in silence for what seemed like an eternity. When they reached the cavern Cole wanted she saw why he chose the spot. Dust grew from the walls like a giant geode of power. No Grimm would ever come to this place. "It's beautiful..." Ashleigh said in awe.

"Mmm, a perfect resting place for the Belladonna's, no?" Cole said.

"It's glorious." she genuinely smiled for the first time in days. "How-" she doubled up in agony.

"No, no, no, not yet!" Cole rushed to her side, just before she fell, catching her. He tried to slow the process, but already the darkness was seeping out of her pores. A black vapor was coming off her skin like she was on fire inside.

"God, Cole! MAKE IT STOP!" Ashleigh's screams were becoming more animal.

"I will. I will." Cole repeated as he stroked his wife's hair, fighting the urge to cry. He had to be strong. He began forcing his aura into her to ease the pain of turning.

Tears of blood began to stream down her cheeks. Then, she opened her eyes, screaming even louder, the agony growing as aura was forced into her body. The darkness inside her was trying to reject the light of life as her own light was darkened. Ashleigh opened her eyes, and they had already began changing. She looked at Cole for the last time as her skin began to dissipate and darkness took it's place. "I.. L-love..." she tried to sputter before she coughed up blood. Then fear took over her eyes as she died.

Cole's despair grew as he gently set her down. He rose to his feet. "I love you too, Ashleigh." He watched as the body of his fallen wife began to change. To turn. It wasn't long before all her skin was completely replaced by the writhing darkness that had killed her. What surprised him was the shape it began to settle into. "How...?"

Before him stood a new born Beowulf. Believed to have been nearly wiped out years ago, these are the most horrifying type of Grimm. Not because of their numbers, or their animalistic form of mauling. No they are the most terrifying species of Grimm because of the way they grow their numbers. They infect humans with their very darkness.

The creature opened its eyes, those red, glowing pools of hell fire, and roared at him. The roar of a Beowulf is particularly unnerving. The growl is said to sound like the dying scream of the human it had been born from.

Cole simply gazed at the creature. For a moment, he couldn't believe that creature was his wife. That demon was his wife. It was the evil thing that took her from him. Cole began shaking with rage, his grip on the dagger turning his knuckles white. When the Beowulf charged him, he rolled out of the way, slashing the beast's arm. The aura infused weapon doing more damage than just steel. The runes on the flat of the blade began to glow a fierce red.

The Beowulf quickly spun around, kicking off the wall, trying to make a leaping swipe. But Cole dodge to the side, and slashed at the beast again, this time the blade burned through the demon's side. As the Beowulf landed, it continued the battle, heeding no mind to the injury. The beast, rushed Cole, hitting him into the side of the cave. Cole felt a sharp pain in his back, and found it a little hard to breathe. He couldn't check though, the feral beast was attacking without mercy. Cole had little chance now that he'd been injured; possibly by one of the many Dust crystal outcroppings in the cave.

With little else to do, Cole stood his ground where he was. The Beowulf again charged Cole. This time however, Cole moved just to this side, allowing the demon to impale it's arm on the same crystal that had stabbed Cole. The beast howled and roared in anger and agony. The arm useless for now, the beast used it as a club, throwing its weight into the arm, trying to hit Cole with it. Cole still had difficulty moving due to the new hole in his back, not to mention the possibly punctured lung. Still, he tried to defeat the demon that was only just his wife.

Cole was hit by the haphazard swinging of the probably dead arm, and thrown to the ground. Like lightning the Beowulf was on top of him, trying to maul Cole with its good arm. Cole used the dagger to fend of the raking claws of the beast. Slashing at the monster's hand when it came into cutting distance.

When the Beowulf raised its arm up to deliver a crushing blow, Cole slashed the beast's thigh. Forcing the monster to roll off of him, the wound releasing a black vapor and a tar-thick ooze. While the monster was rolling away, so did Cole. The Beowulf looked at the wound then back to Cole, emitting a hissing growl. Cole readied himself for what ever came next. He knew neither of them were going to leave this cave.

The beast rushed toward Cole. What caught him off guard was the attack wasn't a slash or a shoulder charge. No, the Beowulf had thrust with it's sharp claws. Thrust its claws into Cole as far as they would go, and even more. Cole coughed up blood, spattering it all over the white mask of the demon. The Beowulf brought Cole close to its face. Cole saw the fires of hell in the monster's eyes. He couldn't let this monster get away from the cave. He wouldn't.

Holding onto the arm he's impaled on with one hand, Cole thrust the dagger he still held with the other into the beasts neck. Angling the blade into the demon's brain and jerking the hilt to the side to break the beast's neck. The arm of the beast went slack, dropping him to the ground. Cole landed on his feet, but stumbled backward and again impaled himself on an outcropping of Dust crystals.

As his life ebbed away, he watched the Beowulf dissolve into the air. Then the cave began to glow. Each Dust crystal in the cave began to glow. It was beautiful sight. _'This is the perfect resting place for a Belladonna...'_ Cole thought as he shed a tear. _'Blake... I'm sorry.'_ Memories of his daughter began playing before his eyes. He couldn't help but smile proudly as he watched his daughter grow again. Then just before his light went out, he saw his daughter smiling with his oldest friend's daughter, Weiss. And he shed one last tear, _'Weiss... Thank you.'_

* * *

Blake didn't know why she felt so terrible but she felt absolutely awful. Like she wanted to cry, scream, and run away all at once. She couldn't explain it, but she knew something horrible had happened. Then thunder clapped and the dark clouds that had hung around all day opened up and released the torrent they held. Blake hugged her legs as she began to cry as she looked out the window.

* * *

Okay, so how'd I do? Please reveiw, PM, or whatever. Have a good one! :)


	5. Those Words

Okay, so I was looking at my fics and saw I posted this one like almost a year ago and only have a few chapters. That's terrible and I'm sorry. But since I first posted this fic, I life was a bit more stable. Since then, I had to grow up. A lot. Now I have responsibilities and shit that just take time away from one of my favorite hobbies. If you're not too old, don't grow up, it's a goddamn trap! If it's too late for you too, I don't know what to say... Good luck?

Beyond that, I guess one of the other things that pulls from my writing is the fact I have interwebs and have been catching up on two years worth of various anime. So I guess the problem is also my procrastination. I could blame it on writer's block, but no, that's not it. I fill most of my free time catching up on Fairy Tale, One Piece, and watching Monty's favorite anime Gurren Lagann... Now that I'm caught up on all my anime and manga, I'll be writing more often.

But I'm sure you don't care about my personal life, you're here to read this story, right? Right?! Right. So, without further delay, here's the next chapter of From Heads Unworthy...

* * *

**Those Words**

By the time Weiss woke up, Blake had already made her bed and left the room. With a messy white mane, Weiss rolled out of bed and padded across a fine, age-smoothed wood floor to look out the window. Heavy black clouds were billowing away from the rain and dew covered city Gossamer; the infrequent rumbles of thunder and the scent of rain still hanging around in the wake of the storm. Smiling at the leaving storm and the gift of rain, she left the window to begin her morning ritual.

* * *

Half an hour later, Weiss returned from the bathroom with a cleansed body and a tamed mane and got into her normal white summer dress. After putting her hair into her favorite off-center ponytail, she made her bed and left the room. Weiss wandered down the wide hallway, looking at the various paintings, the soft pat of her feet gently meeting the floor the only sound in the hall. Some of the paintings simply showed vases or pots of large, beautiful flower arrangements, others were grand works of art depicting fierce battles, or an approaching fleet on a raging sea. Still more showed heavily detailed murals of various families, or portraits of singular people.

However the one that held her attention was a comparatively simple portrait of a woman. Her fair skin stood in stark contrast with her long raven black hair, and made her enthralling garnet eyes stand out. The woman's face was rather plain, only her piercing stare and soft, almost nonexistent smile giving hints to her inner most thoughts. She wore a coal black robe with raven feathers around the collar and thick red stripes that began under the feathers on her shoulders and seemed to follow down her arms. Weiss looked at the beautiful hand painted portrait in awe. It looked almost real.

"I really think this is the best painting in the house." A gentle voice rang from behind Weiss. She snapped around, her hair whipping around from behind her right shoulder over her left as she turned, looking for the source. She saw Summer, in her white hood and cowl. She also wore a light blue blouse with slightly darker blue flowered embroidered around the collar and down the center of the shirt to the bottom of her bust and a plain purple summer skirt. She smiled at Weiss, "Good morning, Weiss." her full face smile is infectious as it made Weiss return it.

"Good morning, Summer. Who is this?" Weiss asked, still enthralled by the portrait.

"That is my old teammate, Raven." Summer turned to the painting, her smile taking on a shade of nostalgia. "She and I were pretty close. We were practically sisters. Until she disappeared a few years ago." Her smile faded.

"I'm sorry, I didn't..." Weiss began as she regretfully looked down, crossing her arm under her chest, shyly grabbing her opposite elbow.

"It's fine." Summer gently put her hand on Weiss's shoulder. The young girl looked up to see a gentle smirk on her hostess's face, "It's important to remember what you lost so you can better appreciate what you have."

Weiss nodded in response, her smile also returning, "Right!" Together Summer and Weiss stood, looking at the portrait of Raven. "Oh, have you seen Blake?" Weiss inquired, lacing her fingers behind her back as she looked over to Summer.

"She's downstairs with Oz. They're waiting for you with their breakfast." Summer gestured down the stairs. "You'll find them just down the stairs, to the immediate right. In the dining room."

Weiss thanked her hostess as she descended the stairs to find her friend, "Thanks!" She skipped every other step, almost running down the stairs.

"She's so energetic. You're a good parent Oz, you and Glynda. Jellal and Mariha would be so happy." Summer whispered to the air as she wistfully watched the young girl go to her family.

Weiss jumped over the last few steps, landing on the smooth wood floor of the entry way, sliding a couple feet before she rounded to the right on the balls of her feet and shot into the dining room. The smell of fresh pancakes, toast, and warm syrup more than enough to charge Weiss's batteries.

"Already so energetic, and she hasn't even had breakfast." Oz chuckled to Blake as she stared at her plate, "Good morning, Weiss." He continued as Weiss gathered her meal.

"Morning, daddy." she smiled as she flopped into a chair next to her friend, gently placing her meal and tall mug of milk in front of her, not wanting to spill any sticky syrup or precious milk.

Blake seemed a little off. Pushing the cut up bits of pancake around the pool of syrup with her fork. Her toast left to cool and stiffen in the plate beside her main course. Weiss looked at her friend closely, her eyes had dark bags under them. She barely slept, if she did at all, and her exhaustion was obvious. "Blake?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled, tiredly glancing at Weiss. She lolled her head toward Weiss, strands of her hair fallen over her face. "Yes?" the young cat girl answered, no real emotion in her voice.

Blake's lackluster appearance worried her contrasting friend, "Are you okay?" Weiss's head ducked low and her shoulders rolled forward, her whole body seeming to huddle around itself, cupping her head as she whispered to Blake. As Blake looked at her friend's crystal blue eyes, she could see all the things she loved in her; care, honestly, loyalty, and innocence.

Blake couldn't help but smile at those eyes, "Better now." Her grin parted just enough for her to scoop some syrup laden pancake into her mouth, then closed again. The full face smile stuck for the remainder of breakfast. Underneath the smile, however, was a maelstrom of negativity. Her apprehension, this sense of foreboding she couldn't shake was killing her.

"So, Blake, care to share why you look so haggard?" Ozpin asked, tilting his head to the side. His silver hair lolling with his head as he moved it while he spoke. His hands rising up before his face, interlacing his fingers holding his fork between them, allowing the utensil to hang from his grip.

"I had a... dream?"she sounded uncertain, "I-i think it was a dream..." she began. "I didn't really see anything... More like a feeling... I feel like something bad happened." her cat ears drooped even deeper against her head as tears began to well in her wondrously big eyes. "Excuse me." Blake stood and began to leave, but Weiss grabbed her wrist. Blake would have none of it though and tore her hand away from the slender fingers of her friend, now running out of the house, leaving the door open. Blake didn't even look back.

Weiss looked from the open, empty door to her outstretched hand and back. She slowly brought her hand to her chest, gently holding it, still watching the door. "I know that look." The voice chimed from the other side of the entry way. Summer leaned against the frame of the opening, looking sadly at Weiss. "I've seen it plenty in my Yang. The conflicted look of comfort vs. release." Weiss's gaze never left the door. "Yeah. You don't know weather to go after her or let her be, let me tell you now," she paused, walking toward the girl. Stopping before her, Summer knelt in front of Weiss, "Leave her be for a bit. Then go find her. Gossamer may seem big, but you know her. You know where she's going. Just," Summer put her finger to Weiss's chest, "just trust your heart." Weiss looked up at Summer, and the older woman gently smiled at the hurting girl.

"Thanks." Weiss said, retaking her seat. She sighed in defeat as she turned to finish her half eaten breakfast. '_The day started out so good too..._' The melancholy girl began to eat her food, if only to distract herself from what had just happened.

* * *

The sound of splashing water, sloshing mud, and the dull roar of conversation filled the market courtyard. That and and the shouts of a shop keeper. "Hey you two! Stop running about like stupid animals!" a particularly unhappy shop keeper yells at a pair of small girls. To most they were simply a pair red and yellow balls of energy that always bounced around town, but they make a habit of bugging this particular shop. The disgruntled old man threatened them with a worn straw broom, "You two get away from my shop before you break something!"

"Yang! Ruby!" The shop keep yelled. "Damn it! Get out of here! Why do you torment me so?!" The two laughed as they ran literal circles around the angry old man. Not really known to general people, the only reason they pick on this particular shop keeper is because he's discriminatory toward Faunus. The other shop keepers also enjoy the added bonus of the pair driving customers away from his particular shop. A fact not lost on the elderly shop keep, "Gah! My customers! Damn kids, get outta here! Get on! Scram! Shoo! Shoo!" He finally succeeded in driving the two girls away, back into the shaded light of an after-storm morning.

"See ya later gramps!" Yang called as she rounded on the poor old shop keep her hands on her hips grinning wickedly at him. Ruby too, pulling her left eyelid down and sticking her tongue out at the man. The old shop keep of '_From Dust 'til Dawn Bazaar_' made a point to remember the two. Yang wore a simple get up of a yellow shirt with a brown light coat and black shorts, her wrists embraced by a set of yellow bracelets. Ruby had on her usual over sized red cape on top of a black shirt shirt tucked into her black skirt with red frills.

"You damn kids! I got yer look now! Jus wait 'til I call the authorities!" The apron wearing man shouted, waving his fist angrily at the sisters.

The two didn't stick around to find out if he'd make good on his threat. Yang turned to see Ruby had already taken off. Yang had to run at full tilt to catch up to her younger sister. "Ruby, slow down!" Yang called at the carefree, giggling child that is her sister. The girl never listens to her. "Ruby!" Yang called again.

Yang watched the frayed edge of the time and again repaired, over sized hood and cape her younger sister Ruby wore flutter behind her. She held a stick with a smaller branch jutting out of the side of one end, she enjoyed calling it her scythe. Ruby would always pretend to be a hero slaying imaginary Grimm when they played in empty streets, alleys, and generally low populated places. As bright a girl as she is, she's pretty shy.

"Yang, c'mon!" Ruby called over her shoulder as she ducked into an alleyway between a couple smaller buildings. Ruby looked forward and stopped short as she saw another girl slump against a wall. Her black hair sticking to the rain and dew wet wall she slumped against. Quickly Ruby hid behind the nearest obstacle, a big dumpster.

Yang rounded the corner quickly and immediately saw Ruby huddled behind a trash can, "Ruby?" she called curiously. Ruby looked back at her sister, her finger to her mouth in a quieting gesture. Yang's response was a quick shake of her head and a dubious look. Ruby pointed further down the alley. Yang followed the gesture, seeing what it was that caught her sister off guard. A girl slumped against a wall, trembling like a freshly fallen leaf billowing in the wind.

Yang looked back at her sister, smiling as she neared. The blonde put her and on top of her sister's black hair, gently tousling her messy hair. When Ruby pushed her sisters hand away, Yang walked toward the girl huddled against the wall on the far end of the alley. Ruby watched as her sister slowly, gently neared the black haired girl. Yang spoke quietly, gently, as if trying to comfort a wounded or scared animal, "Hey,"

* * *

Blake ran. And ran, and ran, and ran. Until she couldn't run any more. Even after Blake couldn't run, she continued to wander through streets and back alleys of Gossamer, her feet just carried her. When her feet stopped, she slumped against the side of the alleyway. Sliding down the wet surface, her hair catching on the rough, damp surface making some of the raven strands stick to the wall above her head when her bottom met the soil.

Too exhausted to cry again, Blake just sits there on the cold muddy ground, hugging her legs to her chest. She just watched her dirty feet slowly slide away from her with each breath as her lungs greedily, raggedly gulped air. Tears were lost in the sweat and collecting dew that streamed down her face, even in the cool morning damp. The gray clouds trailing after the night storm have yet to give way to the comforting light of the sun.

Trapped in her own head, Blake could only get lost in the maelstrom of dark thoughts and '_what if's_' that the feeling she had since the storm began. She didn't know what it was, but is was like nothing she's ever felt before. Like something had her chest in a vice. It was hard to breathe and her throat was dry. She could hear her own rapid heart beat. From the few books she's read she knew that this feeling wasn't good. Ever.

'_What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this..?_' Blake tried to clear her head, to think through this like she did with everything else, but she couldn't grasp what the issue is. It's like she was empty inside, and the void hurt. It hurt so much. Blake couldn't decide what was worse, the painful emptiness or the fact she didn't know what left the void.

"Hey," A gentle voice cut through her thoughts. She just ignored the voice. She didn't care about it. Not today. Not anymore. "Hey," the quiet, gentle voice persisted, firmer this time. Blake's unrelenting sadness combined with her usual stubbornness and allowed her to pay the voice no heed, keeping her forehead against her knees. Then a small hand gently touched her trembling arm, "Hey, what's wrong?"

'_That's just the thing. I don't know what's wrong..._' Blake thought sadly. The intruder of her personal space gently shook her, again cutting into her thoughts. "What!? Why do you care!?" Blake yelled as her head shot up, her arms snapping away from the touch, slapping the stranger's hand away. Blake's tears had left her eyes swollen and red, include the bags under her eyes and Blake's face was an emotional nightmare. The raven haired girl couldn't see much through her tears and exhaustion besides blurry shapes and colors. The person before her was nothing but a blurry yellow bother.

Blake was surprised when the irritation lunged forward and embraced her in a gentle hug, "I'm sorry." Blake was shocked at this. This person didn't know what was happening inside her, but those words... They irritated her. Blake's surprise turned to wrath quickly as she tried to push the person away.

"H-hey, get off me!" Blake said, her exhaustion affecting her already meek voice and leaving her drained body unable to push this stranger away.

"I'm sorry." the stranger said again, more gentle, comforting this time. This time the decidedly young girl squeezed tighter. Those words again. They did something to her. For some reason Blake wanted to be angry with this person, but at the same time she wanted to hear those words. Those words.

Blake gave up, slumping into the embrace. Her fury faded into the raw crushing thing it really was, despair. The simple phrase, just two words, was exactly what she needed to hear though. Blake remembered the feeling that shattered her piece with the thunder the night previous. Blake's despair melted into pure, agonizing sadness and her tears began again, this time accompanied by the trembling sobs of pain. Blake's arms acted by themselves and wrapped around the stranger as she wept into the blonde mane that hung around her. The person gently stroked Blake's hair as she wept into the other girls shoulder.

When the pain dulled and the sobs stopped wracking her body, Blake sat back on her heels, "Thank you." Blake said as she wiped her face and eyes of tears. "I really needed that." she said as she rubbed her eyes. Her vision now clear she could see that the yellow blur was a young blonde girl with lilac eyes wearing a yellow shirt with a brown coat squatting in the mud before her. Smiling kindly at the blonde girl Blake introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Blake."

"Yang." the blonde responded, returning the full faced smile. She offered a hand as she stood. Blake took it and was quickly pulled back to her feet. "Ruby! She's okay, c'mon out." Yang called over her shoulder. A little girl wearing a red cape peeked out from behind a trash can.

"Sis... Is she..."

"No, Ruby, she's not mean. She's just hurt." Yang continued looking over her shoulder, glancing back to Blake when she mentioned her being hurt. "Now come here, stop being shy." The girl stepped out from the protective barrier that was the large dumpster. A stick trailed behind her as she walked toward the older girls. The cape turned out to be much larger than it should be for her size, perhaps a hand-me-down. Her left hand drifted up to clinch the cross pins that fixed the cape to her shirt as she got closer, her right hand loosely held the stick.

"Blake, this is my little sister, Ruby." Yang said as she reached out and wrapped her right arm around the little red girl's shoulders, pulling her in closely. The little girl closed her right eye as she childishly glared at her elder sibling trying to get away.

"Ugh, Yang..." she wined, flailing her unoccupied arm about in circles.

Yang just smiled at Blake as she continued to embrace Ruby. The blonde girl widened her smile as she released her blushing sister. "Yang!" Ruby pouted childishly crossing her arms as she glared at her grinning sister, somehow still holding the stick. Then, as if for the first time, Ruby noticed Blake still crouching against the wall. All at once the young caped girl dropped her arms and rushed close to the cat girl. Ruby reached out, grabbing the side of a very confused Blake, "Your eyes are pretty!" Ruby exclaimed, smiling so brightly Blake couldn't help but mirror it.

"Thanks Ruby." Blake put her hand on top of Ruby's head, tousling her black hair. Blake noticed that when the light hits her hair just right, it gleams rose read. That's when Blake noticed, there's sun light. She looked up and noticed the gray post-storm clouds are fading, clearing for the bright morning sky to shine brilliantly. As the clouds parted, the sun set them ablaze in a flurry of ever changing rainbows. Blake smiled as her attention turned to the red and yellow friends she'd made this morning.

Blake heard Ruby gasp. When Blake looked at her, Ruby was staring at her. "What?" Ruby just pointed. Yang followed the gesture, and gasped as well. "Seriously, what?" Blake turned around and didn't see anything. Her wet raven hair whipped through the air as she turned back to look at the sisters only to fine Ruby standing in front of her.

Ruby brought her hand up, making the come here gesture, still staring up at Blake. Blake kneeled down face-to-face with Ruby, coking her eyebrow silently asking, 'What?' Ruby reached up and started to gently rub Blake's cat ears. Blake immediately grew confused, "Ruby?"

"They're cute!" Ruby smiled, still rubbing the soft ears between her fingers and thumb.

"Woah! You're a Faunus?!" Yang finally registered what's going on.

"Hence the cat ears, Yang." Blake quipped, smirking up at Yang as Ruby continued to fondle her heritage. "Okay, Ruby." Blake pat Ruby's head as she stood up. Blake now suspicious of Yang she asked, "Is that okay?"

"Yeah! I'm sorry- I just didn't- I didn't mean-" Yang stammered, waving her hand before her, like she was trying to give up.

Blake chuckled at Yang, "It's fine." She stroked Ruby's hair as she clung to her side, "You didn't notice. That's good. It means it doesn't matter to you." Blake looked at Yang and smiled. Yang just accepted it. It wasn't a big deal. She has human friends. '_Well other than Weiss._' Blake smiled.

"Hey, she should meet mommy!" Ruby said as she ran back her dropped stick.

"That's a great idea Rubes." Yang agreed. "Wha'd'ya say, Blake? Wanna meet our mom? She's awesome!" The blonde girl exclaimed with a righteous fist pump.

The excitement in the air swept Blake along, "Sure. Lets go!" Blake said. But as she tried to take her first step since she stopped running, her legs went lax and she fell forward. She'd forgotten that she'd ran until she literally couldn't.

Yang caught her before her face met the mud, "Whoa, there!" she said as she caught Blake. "What's up now?"

Blake chuckled sheepishly, "My legs won't work..." she said dumbly. Blake saw the dubious look Ruby was giving her, so she explained more, "I was running before I got here. I ran and ran, and ran and ran, then, I stopped here. My legs feel like limp noodles now."

"Can you move them at all?" Yang asked, shifting Blake's weight from her back into her legs.

Blake tried to move her legs, but all she managed to do was wiggle her toes. "Huh, looks like I really did it this time..." she mumbled under her breath. "No, I can't."

"Yeah, I saw. Okay then, guess well hafta carry you then." Yang said matter-of-factly. The blonde girl hefted Blake over her back. Blake followed suit, throwing her leg over Yang's hip and hung her arms over her shoulder. Yang hooked her arms under Blake's knees, "Okay, let's go." Yang easily walked with Blake's weight. Ruby walked beside them, holding Blake's hand as they walked.

* * *

Weiss had long finished her breakfast a while ago. She hung around the living room, keeping herself busy reading one of Summer's books. A fiction about a boy that learns how to combine Dust and Aura from an old shop keeper in order to fight in a tournament that will earn him enough money to get his family off the street. Weiss had gotten about half way through the book before the stray thoughts and worries about Blake pushed her away from it.

Weiss closed the book with a heavy sigh,'_Guess it's a good a time as any..._' She uncrossed her legs, slid off the cushy couch and padded over the age smoothed wooden floor to return the book to the shelf. Then she walked to the foyer, stepping into her cork sandals. Weiss was lost in thought as she opened the door.

Weiss stepped out of the gorgeous Rose Manner on to the porch, "Now, which way should I take..." Weiss thought out loud. As she took the steps down, she decided to let her heart guide her. The ivory haired girl strolled down the cobblestone path to the muddy main street. Weiss didn't have any issues with mud. Deytere didn't really have any paved roads or paths, so in the wet months it was a boggy mess to get around. Lots of fun to slide around in though.

Weiss shook her head of the stray thought of home and began her trek by taking a left, toward the west side of town, where the bulk of the festivities will be held.

* * *

"Where _is_ you're house?:" Blake asked as Yang walked. They've been walking for a while now. Blake had ran all the way across Gossamer, into the poorer, more violent south side.

"Not too far now. It's called Rose Manner. Mom lets people stay with us sometimes." Yang answered as she rounded a corner. The manner is in sight now.

"Seriously?" Blake said in wonderment. "What are the odds?"

Now it was Yang's turn to be confused, "What?"

"That's where- Weiss!?" Blake looked down the road at the figure of pure white wandered absently through the mud.

* * *

Weiss wandered through the mud lost in thought. Aware enough to avoid the moving obstacles other people make of themselves, but retreated so far into her mind that she just let her legs take her along for a ride. Weiss was lost in the worrisome '_What if's_' that arose when someone disappears. What if someone kidnapped her? What if she was run over by a carriage? What if...

Again Weiss shook her head to clear it, but only brought awareness to the forefront of consciousness. Now actually taking in her surroundings, she saw a vivid red and a bright yellow form bobbing closer to her. Then she saw the black blob behind the yellow one. Weiss's worry addled mind jumped into overdrive pumping out bad situations like it was paid in caffeine. As such, Weiss rushed toward her possibly distressed friend.

Weiss dug deep and pushed off the mud hard, her worry fueling her, driving her toward Blake. Weaving between people and sliding between legs or under tables, Weiss made it down the road in record time.

"Weiss?!" she heard Blake's surprised voice. Recognizing the surprise apart from fear, Weiss tried to slow down, but the slick mud carried her toward the trio of girls she'd rushed toward.

"Wha-!" Yang began as she was bowled over by the wildly sliding Weiss. The white girl's inertia dragging all three, Yang, Blake, and Ruby, sliding on their backs under her.

"Blake! Are you okay?" Weiss asked, her voice high, panic obvious in her voice.

Blake smiled, '_Why was I even empty in the first place?_' "Yeah, Weiss. I'm good." But truthfully, the void had only just begun. She still felt it inside. Something missing. Something torn from her. A gaping wound that hasn't begun bleeding just yet. That scared her. Normally. Right now though, she was happy to know that Weiss cared so much. She felt less empty.

* * *

First off, both Jellal and Mariha are different translations of the word "Winter"; Jellal is inspired by Jiilaal which is Somali and Mariha is Sesotho. I was lazy and wanted to get some easy names for Weiss's parents. Coincidentally it's also a pretty good excuse to include someone from a different anime (Fairy Tale). I like Jellal as a character. I honestly don't think I'll change his appearance for this fic very much... Or his personality... Like I said, I like Jellal as a character, his protectiveness, his wisdom... He'd make a good king, just ask Edolas :P

Okay, so that's that. Now, I'd like to talk about Blake and these feelings. There is an old belief that those who truly love each other can somehow feel when something's wrong with the other(s). I took (possibly extreme) liberty with this thinking that she's going to develop from the fun, innocent Blake I started her as into the thoughtful, dedicated Blake that's cannon. I'm building up my character development kinda, trying at least. Ya know, building blocks, baby steps, etc.

Next, this 'emptiness'. That's easy enough to understand right? Well it ties directly into that love sensory link. It's kinda like this: Blake's soul knows what happened because of the bond between parent-child, but her mind doesn't understand the information, but gets the feel that it's bad so sadness, pain... Grief. And the hole left by those that passed. The void that person leaves in your existence. That's what she's feeling.

Anyway, what do you guys think of this chapter? In comparison to the previous chapters? I really do want your thoughts, suggestions, input. You help me grow with input. Just one pm changed my writing from the vagueness of previous chapters to this slightly less vague style. I'm working on description, setting and feeling, stuff like that. I hope you guys saw what I saw, felt what they felt when I wrote this. It was beautiful... I'm rambling, sorry.

Please Review. Like or Favorite if you feel so inclined. PM me for anything you might want to know.


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